Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-28
THE Strike MAY BE RESUMED.
The Won Complain OF Having Been
Tricked and Indignant at the Treat.
meAt of Their Leaders.


meat Of Their Leaders.
Jne strike on the Reading Railroad Is not yet at
a, end, and the whole trouble may be reopened by
Che attitude of the company toward some OF the
leaders In the movement OF the men and by the
feeling among the employees that their return to
work was secured by false representations. The
headquarters Of the executive committee OF the
employees convention In Philadelphia presented
scene OF great excitement yesterday afternoon
when the statement OF Manager Mcleod, emanat-
ing from President CorbiD, was made known to the
members. No expressions were considered toe
strong TO characterize the document and messages
at once sent of TO the different assemblies "a
convene at once. said prominent member: 1.-THE
company has been trying for some time TO bring
on cOuiiict with the knights, and they have done
IL at last Thls strike Il only preliminary
skirmish, ana the company Will ind out that IL
has made mistake In thinking the knights are
beaten"
reporter interviewed several OF the men as 70
their feelings In the matter and one and all agreed
that they mad been Induced TO resume work under
false pre- eRSeS In the matter OF arbitration and re-
instatenent OF discharged men.
STATEMENTS FROM THE RAILRoAD COMPANY.
The statement OF Manager Mcleod Is as follows:
"The report that the Reading Company had agreed
to arbitrate with its striking employees is abso-
lutely false. There Is nothing TO discuss, much
less arbitTate. The men discharged were not and
will not BE- taken back. The new men employed
when the Old ones went out will net be discharged
20 make room for old ones, and all the latter have
been notiHed that II they desire TO retain their
places they must return 10 work Immediately and
Internationally, and all have returned under that
order FAR places were left for them. Besides,
the leaders at Port Richmond, who brought on the
strike, have been discharged, and Will not be al
lowed again In the company's service" President
COrbin made similar statement.
The following circular was also addressed to
Mcleod by Austin COrbin, president, and the re-
ceiyers OF the Reading Railroad property: ''The
strike ordered from Port Richmond has developed
lnt ldCL Luat MANY OF Old and faithful EN-
plOyes have been compelled by others To join the
organization known as the Knights Of Labor.
while the Reading Railroad CO. has never OBJ
lected 10 its employees voluntarily connecting
themselves with any labor organization they may
and at any cost from being forced into any union
where there own wish would be 10 remain free;
and any employe OF this company, or OF the
coal and iron company, guilty OF using any un-
force them 10 join any society against their free
viii, will. upon proof furnished US, be instantly
dismissed from our service and never allowed 10
return IL: and any empOye furnishing such In
formation viii De fully protected from any harm
by reason thereof, Please give this notice TO the
general superintendent, with orders That III De re-
peated 10 the heads OF every department OF the
railroad and coal and iron company
The most exciting scenes OF the strike were wit
messed in Reading yesterday afternoon, when about
twenty-five old brotherhood engineers, who were
obliged TO Leave the company'S employ in 1877
Were given engines and permanent positions;
TO report because they live too far away or had re-
fused 10 take out engines and were peFemptorily
di charged Every man who had during the past
week refused TO obey orders or who had left his
post because OF the Knights OF Labor orders was
refused employment.
STRIKERS LOCKED OUT At PoTTSTILLE.
From some cause the order issued by the excel
tive committee OF the Reading railroaders conven-
ton for the strikers to work did not reach
POttsville until the middle OF the forenoon. When
&c was received the crews belonging 10 the PaiO
Alto terminus promptly reported Tor duty, but
found that number OF the trains had ALREADY
been started with new crews, and were Informed
that those who had not reported on time this morn
Ing, In accordance with Manager McLeod5 order,
would not BE- taken on. A meeting or District AS
sembIy No. 1853 was called, and a resolution was
finally adopted declaring the assembly locked out,
aud sent TO the Port Richmond Assembly with an
appeal To- stand by No. 1859. An appeal was also
sent 10 superintendent Sweigard to countermand
the action OF the Pao Alto dispatcher in replacing
the strikers with new mem
A cOmnittee sent TO Philadelphia TO confer with
Superintendent Swelgard returned to P0ttsvile
last evening and reported the result OF their con-
ference. They stated that Mr.. Swef5ar had In
sisted upon the peremptOTy discharge OF Bernard
J. Shdrkey. Ambrose Heade and - Bennett. the
committee who first waited upon him with refer
ence TO the Port Richmond trouble, together with
the five crews who refused TO handle the -four
cars. The committee consented TO tins, and then
asked a guarantee that All other strikers would be
re-empOyed. This Superintendent Sweigard per-
eInptOriiy refused, ami the conference abruptly
terminated. This report greatly 1ncenset the
meeting, and. as result, c0mmi tees left Potts
Nlllt last pDlulS SOUtH ds 1hf
adelphia and North 10 Tamaqua, ShamoSin and
MsbODoy Plane, 10 appeal 10 the local assemblies
at those points To stand by the discharged
strikers, and IL Is expected that general tte-up
along the whole line will be reinaugurated to-
mOrrow.
meeting Of the Reading employees convention,
composed OF representatives OF railroad employees
and miners, at the Reading Coal and Iron CO.'S COL
leiieS, Will assemble In Reading on Thursday, at
which 1t is intimated by leading Knights of Labor
there that unless a settlement is reached the
miners will he ordered TO strike and the passenger
train crews called out
AT Shamokin the strike also continues. Upon
receipt OF tine notice from the headquarters OF the
Knights OF Labor that the strike had been de-
c&red on the local assemblies decided 10 return 10
work, stpuiating that all OF their members should
be given their old positions. Among the strikers
are Dispatcher Huntley, master workman OF an
assembly, aud several laborers on the coal dock
who had been discharged for refusing 10 WORK.
The local officials declared their unwlltngneS5 TO
employ these men. and the strikers refused 10 re-
turn TO work On any other terms
SCHEME TO BREAK Up THE KNIGHTS.
A member OF the employees executive board said
in Philadelphia yesterday: 1.-THE whole affair."
from beginning to end. and the end is not yet
is part OF a deep-laid and wellorganiz scheme To
break up the Knights OF Labor. This scheme Is
participated in by the Pennsylvania, the Reading
and the Jersey central Now, s.r, Will explain
how the thing commenced. superintendent keim,
OF the Reading company, undertook 10 place GER
tain coal wharIers in the freight shed OF Taylors
storage CO. When thess men arrived they were
met by a committee Of steyedOres and the circu.u-
stances under which they had been hired was ex-
planned 10 them. These circumstances We're that
the men formerly employed in the sheds received
% cents per hour for precisely the same WORK that
the new were gong 10 do Tor 10 cents per hour cOH
sequently the new men refused TO go TO work
Here was a grievance al once actually forced on
by the company, upon which no attempt had been
made 10 aTDitraJe."
.'Hal this. then. anything TO do with the striker"
asked the reporter.
"Undoubtedly," was the reply, "for IL was this
and other things OF this nature which showed Us
that the company was trying how Tar II could go
In The matter or provoking Us into Interior meas
ures and then pose before the public as the H.
1ured party. No, sir, the strike was deliberately
forced on Us and the company hOp- 10 drive into
the commission OF some overt act winch would en-
abe ft TO impriSOn leaders and thus give as IS
enemies thought, the death blow TO our orgdniza-
ton"